NEW ORLEANS - A south Louisiana flood board has launched a legal fight against a new state law aimed at retroactively killing a lawsuit filed last year over coastal damage attributed to oil and gas drilling.

The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East argues in federal court papers filed Tuesday that the law cannot be used to block the lawsuit.

The flood authority filed the lawsuit last year against dozens of oil and gas companies over damage to coastal wetlands that protect New Orleans from hurricanes.

Gov. Bobby Jindal and oil industry supporters pushed a bill through the last legislative session aimed at killing the lawsuit.

The flood authority's lawyers argue that the law incorrectly defines the flood authority as a local government entity. It also raises constitutional questions about the law.